DECEMBER 24 ISSUE 3 COMPLETE B

The Town Crier

Helping One Another to Do Well and Prosper

ISSUE 3 DECEMBER 2024

The Town Crier Serving the communities of East Grinstead, Forest Row, Hartfield, Ashurst Wood, Lingfield, Dormansland, Crawley Down, Felbridge, Newchapel and the surrounding areas

Issue 3 December 2024

Let’s help one another to do well and prosper 1

The Town Crier

Helping One Another to Do Well and Prosper

This montage was very kindly provided by Wynter Hereward Prior FACEBOOK

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ISSUE 3 DECEMBER 2024

The Town Crier

Helping One Another to Do Well and Prosper

ISSUE 3 DECEMBER 2024

Welcome to the bumper Christmas edition of the Town Crier!

To celebrate the festive season, we’ve cooked up a feast of interesting features, fascinating articles and useful pointers to help you with the business of successful life and living.

Once again, the communities of the area have shown their cultural strength-in-depth: an awful lot of people out there quietly getting on with the business of helping one another and providing all the various endeavours that make life enjoyable and game where everyone can win.

It’s been said that the greatest purpose is to help and when you look, you see that that really is what drives people even if they themselves don’t realise it.

The cover photograph and the one above are by East Grinstead photographer, Russell Prain.

Find him on Instagram.

And you see it even more powerfully when the honour falls to you to publish a community magazine designed to get all the unsung heroes out there to sing a bit.

Featured in this issue . . .

And for that joy I must sincerely thank from the bottom of my heart all the past, present and future contributors to the Town Crier project.

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Please have a thorough read of and enjoy this issue and bear in mind that if you have a story to tell, news to share, a cause to promote, a crusade to energise or an audience to invigorate, then we will be pleased to hear from you.

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Getting published in the Town Crier is free. Whilst we will soon be offering a limited amount of space for paid advertising, if you have something interesting to say or are a not-for-profit or charity, getting published here will remain completely free.

All we’ll ask of you is a bit of creativity.

So send your submissions to me at steve.cook.writer@gmail.com without delay: the January issue is already now under construction.

On 10 the December I was very pleased to be interviewed by Judith Thompson of Feelgood Radio as part of their morning program.

Judith very kindly sent me a recording of the feature, which if you missed the broadcast, you can listen to here.

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East Grinstead, Champions of Europe—by Town Mayor Steve Ody News from Meridian FM Maths Tips by Helen Chisholm Growing Community Whilst Growing Food, by the “We Grow” initiative EG artist, Kirsty Chapman EG Lions Jigsaw South East How To Basically—empowering you with know-how Commended and Recommended The Man Who Lost His Sandwich The Joy of Panting by Sally Oasis Warrior Arts and Fitness Crawley Down Ladies’ Choir UK Rhino Challenge Christians Against Poverty Dr Merlee Harris –Blazing a trail to wellbeing for all Jo Way on her love of art A Letter to Man for 2025 Seasonal Smartphone Snaps Well Healthy—helping you live a healthier life Unlocking success by Alice Watkyn CARE in EG MyFolks Little Kickers Pillar Box Acquires Natty Hat Run for TMD—Brighton Half Marathon A Recipe that won’t kill you

The Town Crier

Helping One Another to Do Well and Prosper

East Grinstead Champions of Europe!

ISSUE 3 DECEMBER 2024

Hearing these comments was a real source of pride, and I can say without hesitation that they were excellent ambassadors for East Grinstead.

By East Grinstead Town Mayor, Cllr Steve Ody

This sense of pride extends to the whole town. The Sackville team’s achievements have highlighted the importance of town twinning and the values it promotes—cooperation, understanding and mutual respect. None of this would have been possible without the hard work and dedication of the Town Twinning Association, whose efforts behind the scenes ensured the success of the trip.

Looking ahead, we are thrilled that East Grinstead will host the Jeunes sans Frontières event in 2027, welcoming young people from across Europe to our town for what promises to be a wonderful celebration of sport, culture, and friendship. For more information about East Grinstead’s Town Twinning, please visit https://egtwinning.org.uk

As Mayor of East Grinstead, I had the privilege of witnessing the outstanding achievements of our students and teachers from Sackville School, who in June this year returned triumphant from the Town Twinning Youth Games—Jeunes sans Frontières (Youth without Borders).

In an increasingly interconnected world, it is heartHosted in Bourg de Péage, France, the event brought ening to see our young people stepping forward as together young people from our twin towns in Spain, compassionate and engaged citizens. Through their France, Austria, Italy, and Germany for four days of participation, they have embodied the essence sports and cultural exchange. of Jeunes sans Frontières—using sport and cultural exchange to build friendships and connections This year’s games were particularly memorable, co- across borders. inciding with the passage of the Olympic Flame through the town—a unique and inspiring backdrop. As we celebrate their success and their crowning as Our delegation—students Lizzie, Evie, Hannah, Ad- Champions of Europe, let us also look to the future, dy, Freddie, and Lucas, supported by their amazing supporting our young people in every endeavour and teachers Mr. Dupoy and Mrs. Plumb—not only rep- continuing to foster the relationships that make our resented East Grinstead with distinction but also town twinning such a valued tradition. emerged as overall winners of the event.

You can find the Mayor’s blog here Their success is a testament to their teamwork, determination, and positive spirit, making their victory all the more special. Throughout the trip, our students demonstrated a remarkable openness to meeting peers from different cultures, striking up conversations and forming friendships that transcended borders.

The feedback from other delegates was resoundingly positive, with frequent praise for their kindness, sportsmanship and inclusivity.

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Helping One Another to Do Well and Prosper

ISSUE 3 DECEMBER 2024

This montage celebrates the 2024 half of cllr Steve Ody’s tenure as East Grinstead Town Mayor

Looking forward to 2025!

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Well done to the Edenbridge Community Christmas Association for fundraising for such a wonderful local event, and they said they cannot wait to do it all again next year. Hurrah!!

Jeannie Bizzell Managing Director

Latest News from East Grinstead-based Meridian FM

WEBSITE

107 Meridian FM

Meridian FM were delighted to take part in the Edenbridge Christmas Fair which took place on Saturday November 30th.

Meridan FM’s Jeannie B compèred the event introducing many local live acts, from Morris Dancing to the Collection Church singers from churches in Edenbridge.

The High Street was full of wonderful stalls selling everything from candles to candy floss, there was even a 1940’s tea room!

Of course, Santa came along to see all the children and made sure they were all on the good list, and, guess what, they all were!

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Helping One Another to Do Well and Prosper

ISSUE 3 DECEMBER 2024

Making Times Tables Manageable Patterns and Methods for Success Even though it’s the festive child to find patterns while setting the table for dinseason and children dener or play multiplication games while waiting for serve a well-earned break, the turkey to roast. keeping times tables fresh in their minds doesn’t have By blending festive fun with light learning, you’ll to feel like a chore. help ensure that times tables are a gift that keeps on giving!

In fact, just a few minutes a day can make all the difference.

Please do reach out to me on makingitcountmathstuition@gmail.com for more Times tables form the foundation for so many areas information or details on how to learn times tables. of maths, from fractions and division to algebra and problem-solving. By helping children spot patterns And I wish each and every one of you a very Merry and use clever methods, they don’t need to memorize Christmas! every single fact by rote to become confident mathematicians.

Maths tutor, Helen Chisholm, has very kindly agreed to conPatterns are a game-changer when it comes to times tribute a monthly column givtables. For example, recognizing that the 2s, 4s, and ing valuable tips on how to 8s are all related helps children build on what they excel, or help your children already know. If they can double a number for the 2 excel at maths. times table, they can double it again for the 4s and yet again for the 8s. Similarly, the 10s follow a simple pattern of adding a zero, and the 9s have a neat trick where the digits add up to 9 (e.g., 9 × 3 = 27, and 2 +7 = 9).

Encouraging children to look for these shortcuts turns learning into a fun puzzle.

While learning by rote has its place—building speed and recall—it’s not the only path to mastery.

Understanding relationships between numbers fosters deeper comprehension. For instance, if a child knows that 5 × 6 = 30, they can quickly deduce that 6 × 5 = 30 too, halving the facts they need to memorize.

To keep times tables engaging, free online games like Hit The Button or www.timestables.co.uk are excellent tools. These interactive website helps children practice quick recall while having fun.

Over the holidays, why not challenge your child to beat their high score or explore patterns in the answers?

Or, this Christmas, incorporate quick, playful activities to keep those tables ticking over. Challenge your 7

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their land with other local people, so that they could all grow their food together.

Everyone who joined had busy lives with work and school, but on workdays they’d chuck on their wellies and come together for a few hours of fun looking after the land, growing food, eating together and hanging out by the fire afterwards.

Over a few years, more and more people in the area asked if they could get some help to do the same and create community on their land, allotments and gardens. Growing groups were brought together and community swaps started happening.

Eventually a CIC was formed by some of the women in the growing groups, who got funding to train a team that carries on the work of connecting people with land in other areas.

Growing community whilst growing food How the “We Grow” project empowers the grass roots

The We Grow team is made up of people with all sorts of skills including community development and community organising, self-development, teaching, Produce fresh and organic vegetables, eggs, mushhorticulture, permaculture, biodynamic gardening, rooms, or herbs while socialising. This is the ultimate market garden production, garden design and local healthy, cheap, fun and easy way to get your food! activism.

Imagine you put in 2 hours once a week growing food with new friends and take home a veg box every time!

Depending on the land, you could also produce mushrooms, eggs, or herbs for making medicinal tinctures.

Networks of growing groups are currently focused in Forest Row, Lewes, Uckfield, Crowborough and surrounding areas. We Grow also runs funded projects, in partnership with other organisations, on large plots around Sussex.

You also get invited to local events, where everyone swaps and shares seeds, seedlings, tools and knowledge.

We support groups to develop strong, positive relationships with each other and the local network they’re part of. Growing ComGrowing as a group, sharing a watering rota, covering munity whilst Growing Food is at the heart of what for each other and taking weeks off, makes this 1000 we do. times easier than your own allotment or garden plot.

And it’s great for your health, your food bills, your If you’d like to find out more about joining a growkids and the planet! ing group or sharing your land if you have some, visit www.wegrow.org.uk and follow our social meJust like many great community-born projects, We dia pages www.facebook.com/WeGrow and Grow grew in a totally organic way (pardon the pun!). www.instagram.com/wegrow.cic A family who owned a smallholding offered to share 8

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Helping One Another to Do Well and Prosper

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Wishing You a Season of Peace and Joy

As the year draws to a close, we at Spirit, Mind & Body Studio would like to extend our heartfelt gratitude to our wonderful community. This year has been one of connection, growth, and shared mindfulness, and we are so grateful to have every member who has taken a class as part of our journey.

Saturday 18th January 2025 January Forest Row Repair Café Start the New Year with a good resolution to rescue all your broken items from being thrown in the bin.

Find us in the Community Centre, Forest Row RH18 5DZ. 10am-1.00pm with last orders at 12.30.

Find out more about the Forest Row Repair Café

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This festive season, may you find moments of peace amidst the bustle, joy in simple pleasures, and warmth in the company of loved ones. As we step into 2025, we look forward to welcoming you onto the mat—whether you’re a seasoned yogi or a curious beginner, there’s always space for you here. www.spiritmindandbodystudio.com

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time she travels around with the painting meeting members of the military and their families, inviting them to add a fingerprint, which represents a poppy on the canvas. Each poppy is numbered and the contributor then writes their name in a book accompanying the painting next to the same number so that in future they can be matched.

"My aim is that in years to come, people can look up their loved ones’ prints and remember the sacrifices made for our freedom and safety. I have all different regiments, ages and branches of the military who have added fingerprints. To see them all together on one painting puts into perspective how many all worked together to achieve it, just like when fighting in a war. " The first painting took her over 2 years whilst we dealt with COVID and various lockdowns. Kirsty doesn't drive so carried the big canvas by hand on public transport and travelled with friends who kindly helped transport her and her artwork. She attended events and met people up and down the country to achieve the artwork and allow them to add their fingerprints to the painting. Once completed, the paintHistoric Military Fingerprint Paintings by ing was donated to the Chavasse clinic in Brighton, East Grinstead Artist which treats veterans and service personnel for musculoskeletal conditions and injuries. The artwork was Kirsty Chapman unveiled by HM the Lord Lieutenant of East Sussex and Lt Col Benjamin Caesar. It was also filmed by An artist from West Sussex who specialises in ReITV news. membrance artwork made out of fingerprints is appealing once again to members of the armed forces to "The first painting was donated with prints from 164 help her create her latest painting. individuals, some adding more than one print so there Kirsty Chapman from East Grinstead creates military must be over 200 on the canvas."

–themed artwork using her own fingerprints to represent the individual mark each serviceman woman and Ex Sgt Paul Grief of the Kings Royal Hussars has veteran makes on history. She sells these and donates been a particular support, having a portion to military charities. added one of the first fingerprints "The inspiration for these paintings came from my to the first paintnan who worked alongside Sir Archibald McIndoe cooking for the burned RAF pilots and surgeons. She ing. He has accompanied was immensely proud to do this and used to tell me never to forget what they did. My great-grandfather Kirsty on many of the events was also in the Royal Ulster Rifles and volunteered for the Gliders and my great-uncle was in the Royal and meetings, and has now Navy." started a breakfast club and Since 2019, just as lockdown started, she has been busy creating a very special type of artwork which is drop-in centre in East Grinstead for veterans and service personnel. both unique and historic. Kirsty has been carefully making paintings out of the fingerprints of current and ex-serving military personnel and family members in memory of the Fallen and Departed. One at a Continued on next page

Poppy Art UK Appeals for Fingerprints

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Helping One Another to Do Well and Prosper

Kirsty Chapman—continued from previous page A second painting was made in the same way, and completed in just 8 months. It was started at Biggin Hill at an event held by The Taxi Charity. There were several elderly veterans in attendance including a few Chelsea Pensioners. Kirsty met several of the Chelsea Pensioners during the creation of the second painting so decided to offer to donate this artwork to the Royal Hospital Chelsea. It ended up with prints from 194 individuals. It was brought to the hospital at their annual picnic this year and donated along with the book of names. She also donated a unique painting of a Chelsea Pensioner to be added to the raffle on the day!

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add to them. I wanted to create something to leave a historic legacy and show appreciation for every single member of the armed forces, past and present!"

If you would like to add a fingerprint to the latest painting, please contact: Kirsty Chapman, Text 07956 067 363 You can scan and email prints to: poppyartuk@gmail.com

You can post fingerprints to: Kirsty Chapman C/o Rick Kilner Ex Services Club 4 Station Road East Grinstead West Sussex RH19 3DJ "All you need is some red paint or ink, just stamp a good few prints onto a sheet of paper and add your name and service details plus any message that I can add to the accompanying book!

Thank you all for your service and I hope to hear from you soon"

“I decided to donate the second painting to the Royal Hospital Chelsea because I met several Chelsea Pensioners and had their fingerprints added as part of the painting. I wanted the artwork to go somewhere with military history and I'm thrilled it was accepted and know it will be looked after there" After a short break, Kirsty is now in the process of creating her third painting. This time in order to reach veterans and service personnel from further afield, she is encouraging contributions to be sent via post and email as well as being able to add in person.

French Translations

Email domicook64@gmail.com 07948702788

"I will continue to make these paintings as long as there are still military personnel who would like to 11

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East Grinstead Lions Senior Citizens’ Social and Tea Party Afternoon On Saturday 18th January 2025, the East Grinstead & District Lions Club are delighted to be linking up with community group, Being Neighbourly, to invite all Seniors to a delicious afternoon tea and social afternoon.

The event will run from 2-5pm, is free and will be held at Sackville School in the Main Hall.

If needed, the Lions will provide transport to and from the event by minibus, which will enable anyone with mobility or transport issues to attend.

This year you will be entertained by a local Belly Dancing group, a sing-a-long with Jenny Green and the opportunity to get up and dance to some favourite songs also sung by Jenny Green.

There will be plenty of time to enjoy a delicious afternoon tea, socialise, play tabletop games and chat with friends.

At the end of the afternoon every attendee will receive a box of biscuits before going home.

Thank you!

Sharan Billings East Grinstead and District Lions

If you would like to attend, please ring 07751 238786 and leave a message or email eganddlions@gmail.com giving your name, contact number and if you need transport getting to and from the event.

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Helping One Another to Do Well and Prosper

Empowering you with Know-how

ISSUE 3 DECEMBER 2024

In summary, what we do is: • •

• • •

teach adult weekly courses at our workshop work with a number of schools for pupils with SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities) work with the council to teach pupils who are not in mainstream education run holiday workshops for children run corporate team-building events

We have just launched our first online course: "How to Winterproof Your Home" which has been specifically put together to help people combat the escalating cost of heating your home and also how to protect your home from winter wear and tear.

How to Basically was founded by Justin Kelly in 2022.

How To Basically teaches useful, practical life & DIY skills in-person and online.

Justin is very practical and hands-on but is selftaught and always wished there had been a place he could have gone to learn these simple, practical skills which were historically passed down through the generations.

We are based out of our workshop in Mid-Sussex and teach anyone of any ability and any age.

We are passionate about empowering you to live He learnt by trial and error which often involved anmore independently, cost effectively and sustainably. noying and expensive mistakes!

Our courses are very hands-on so that you leave So in the Summer of 2022 he left his job as a lawyer feeling confident about putting your new skills to use in the independent film world and set up How to Baat home. sically.

Such skills include, for example: For much more information, go to our website • using a power drill to hang a painting/put up a now! www.howtobasically.co.uk shelf • refreshing your home with a lick of paint/ wallpaper • basic plumbing skills such as fixing a dripping tap yourself • in general, just relying less on others to do simple, everyday tasks that may seem daunting/ overwhelming without a bit of simple know-how.

Knowing how to do these things yourself is incredibly rewarding but also saves money on unnecessary call -out fees and helps reduce waste.

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child’s teacher to speak to your child in advance about any activities planned and give your child the choice to take part or opt out.

Keep things simple. The endless ‘to-do’ list can wait, try to take the pressure off yourself and ask for help.

Jigsaw South East is an independent local charity that Sometimes there are so many demands on our time it supports local children and young people before, dur- can feel too much. ing and after a bereavement in West and East Sussex, Surrey and Kent.

Talk to your family or friends about how you’re feeling about Christmas and how they can support you.

They are based in East Grinstead, at East Court.

You might say: “I am going to find the day hard, and it would help me if you could…”

They have a big heart and their vision is to ensure that no child or young person faces bereavement alone.

Doing something special to remember those who have The unique service Jigsaw provides is tailored to meet died can be an important part of Christmas day and a the needs of the families they support, whether in per- great comfort for some families. You may wish to continue a tradition or start a new one. What matters son, on the phone or online. most is that, as far as possible, you are able to do Jigsaw helps families cope with their grief and rebuild whatever feels right for you and your family, and, if you decide on Christmas day that you don’t want to their lives, one piece at a time. Over the past year, they have supported over 650 children and young peo- do the thing you have planned, then that’s ok too.

ple who are coping with or facing the death of a loved Spend Christmas day in a new environment, mayone, and they continue to get new referrals every be with extended family, friends or go out for Christday. mas dinner.

This Christmas they are asking people of good will to be a star and support their Christmas appeal, Light the Don’t feel bad about saying ‘no’, We’re all presWay, which you can find out more about here https:// sured by advertisers into buying lots of things for our children at Christmas and there is a temptation to want www.jigsawsoutheast.org.uk/lighttheway. Plus you to buy lots of presents for your child to ‘make them can see their Christmas animation, which has been drawn by former Disney animator and Jigsaw Patron, happy’ and to take the pain of their bereavement away. Try to stay within your financial limits. Your Gary Andrew. children just want to spend time with you, cook, read And for those who are enduring a bereavement, here or draw together, go for a family walk, ride bikes or watch a film together. is some valuable Christmas advice from Jigsaw.

Coping at Christmas when you are bereaved

Be kind to yourself. Do what feels right for you. The build-up to Christmas can often feel worse than the day itself. It may feel important to ‘be there’ for other family members but make time for yourself too if you Christmas and the festive period can be difficult for many families, especially those who are grieving. The need it. This may mean a quiet duvet day or a day with friends and family. You will know what feel big build-up in the shops and in the media can be a painful reminder of your loss. If you are missing your right for you and your child. special person during this festive period and struggle with the anticipation and excitement in the lead up to There’s no wrong or right way to mark a special occasion like Christmas. Don’t feel you need to stick Christmas, then you are not alone. to a plan or conform to what other people expect of you or what they are doing.

Here is some guidance that may help during the festive season: Continued on next page Speak to your child’s school and find out in advance if they will be taking part in any activities. Ask your 14

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Jigsaw—continued from previous page Don’t feel guilty about feeling positive sometimes and enjoying a special occasion – it doesn’t mean you are grieving any less or that your connection with the person is any less important.

Go for a walk when things feel overwhelming, fresh air and nature can be incredibly calming. We’ve created a walk checklist to keep little ones occupied which is free to download.

For further support, please contact our helpline Monday-Friday, 9.3012.30pm: 01342 313895.

Our service will close for the holidays at 12 noon on Tuesday, 24th December and reopen on Friday, 27th December. We will close again at 12 noon on Tuesday, 31st December and reopen with business as usual on Thursday, 2nd January. If you or someone you know needs support during this time please see the In Emergency section of our website.

Your Help is Needed!

The St Catherine Hospice Charity Shop in London Road, East Grinstead is looking for more volunteers to join their team.

“On a sandstone ridge beside the Ashdown Forest, East Grinstead is capital of the High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB). Come and explore our ancient market town with its Medieval High Street, discover its fascinating history and the people who shaped it.. . . “

If you’d like to help them, visit their website here

MORE HERE

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Here’s a lovely message from the proprietor of a business based in nearby Horley but with strong business and friendship ties to East Grinstead.

Commended and Recommended For your Commended and Recommended feature, I would like to give a special mention to Print in Time , based in London Road, East Grinstead, who helped me out with an urgent print of some of my labels this week. Thank you guys! Much appreciated!

Other Mentions I have been using Sara for beauty treatments for several years and would highly recommend her. Her salon was originally in Horley and I have stayed with her for her move to East Grinstead (The Little Beauty Room, Alders View Road, East Grinstead)..I have tried many other salons but stuck with her as she is very competitive and provides a very professional service.

I also used the Repair Cafe recently to service my much-needed food mixer for my business. I received excellent service with a smile and small fee.

Christmas Wishes I am happy to offer my best Christmas and New Year wishes to all the businesses and people of East Grinstead, the lovely little town that I visit regularly and whose café, 1 Middle Row, now stocks my sauces for Christmas gifts.

Offer If someone purchases from me via the Town Crier magazine, I offer a 5% discount. Gift packs of any 3 or 5 sauces are available. So if you found me through the Town Crier, please make sure you mention your lovely community magazine.

Love, Trudy Gillard Bake Me a Cake and Baila Chili Sauce

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We are looking for a few more players to join our U14 girls team.

The team play in the premier division of the SCWGFL league.

Please get in touch with Chris on 07736 301647 for more details.

To learn more about our girls' section, please have a look at our brochure using the following link: Crawley Down Gatwick FC Girls’ Section Crawley Down Gatwick FC

See also: Sussex County Women and Girls' Football League

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Helping One Another to Do Well and Prosper

From the director who lost his angst: the man who lost his sandwich

ISSUE 3 DECEMBER 2024

His movies, cleverly depicting dystopian futures in a variety of imaginative ways, include such classics as • • • •

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Brutal Zombie Cannibals Rule the Planet People getting Killed in Horrible Ways (parts I, II and III), Blood-soaked Wastelands of Tomorrow and the award-winning World Without Hope, not to mention the ever-popular TV series, Empire of the Manic-depressive Psychopaths.

But Bim (23), evidently, feels he has achieved all there is to achieve in the "dystopian future" genre, and is seeking to expand his repertoire and to venture into new genres - indeed to invent a new genre of his own.

He explained, "Somewhere along the way I lost my angst, that borderline mental illness that drove my creativity in its relentless downward spiral. I suddenly realised that endlessly portraying dystopian futures was all fine An exclusive report on revolutionary filmmaker, and dandy - I was proud of my contribution to the Salazaar Bim by Steve Cook culture - but I had become, quite frankly, a bit bored with it all. And then one day, during the making of Bulgarian director Salazaar Bim has long been re"The Futility of Existence" - a story in which a nowned for feature-length films in the popular CD slightly unpleasant crew of a spaceship with really (Completely Depressing) genre. inadequate internal lighting get eaten by a mutant flu virus - in 2020, I realised that this sort of movie was His works depict various visions of a dystopian fu- just not fun anymore - at least not for me anyway. I ture in which just about everything that could possi- had a flash of inspiration and decided to take a new bly go wrong has gone wrong and has it become tack. Instead of portraying futures in which everysomething nobody in their right mind would want to thing is horrible, how about stretching my imaginalive in. tion a bit further, taking a flight of fancy and portraying futures in which things are not all that bad?

They attract huge audiences, which he artfully and Unlikely as that weird kind of future seems, I creatively divests of any last grains of optimism thought perhaps I could make it work." whatsoever and, indeed, the will to live - as well as boosting the sale of antidepressants. This has made A surge of creativity took him into the making of him an immensely popular artist among directors films with a radically new emphasis and ultimately and shareholders of the pharmaceutical industry. to a revolutionary new genre: what he refers to as the "topian future" in which everything is all right.

It has been said that the epidemic of depression and suicides so often blamed on a mysterious derangeThe first of these was Measles Apocalypse (2022). It ment of brain chemistry that has spontaneously oc- depicts a near future in which a measles epidemic curred for no apparent reason may in fact be the re- strikes the planet and millions of people are a bit unsult of millions of people watching his films. der the weather for several days before they get better.

This, of course, has also made him very rich whilst psychiatrists have warned addicts not to withdraw Continued on next page cold-turkey from watching his movies but just keep taking their antidepressants instead.

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The Man Who Lost his Sandwich—continued from previous page

Editor’s Note For the humour section of this magazine we welcome submissions of satire, jokes and cartoons or indeed anything that might make the reader chuckle because the main thing wrong with our society, if anything, is the tendency for everyone to get too darn serious.

The second was Glare (also 2022) in which relations between the great superpowers, Russia and Iceland, break down to such a degree that they end up glaring at one another and are taken to the very brink of shouting before the nice Syrian government intervenes and they make friends.

The third, which really defines and establishes the new genre, is already in the making. Entitled, "The Man Who Lost His Sandwich", it depicts a future in which things are quite nice. Psychiatry has been abolished, which has brought mental illness to an end. There is no income tax, people are banned from Facebook for posting pictures of not very nice cats, governments have stopped mucking people about and More Movies by Salazar the human race is doing all right - exBim People getting Killed in hor- cept that millions of people are a bit rible Ways 2002 Blood-soaked Zombie Can- bored, having been deprived of things to nibals Eat Babies 2008 World Without Hope 2014 worry about.

World with Even Less Hope Set in this mind2016 The Man in the Bleak Castle bogglingly surreal cultural background 2018 Everybody’s Dead, Dave is the story of John Bland who, as the 2019 The Futility of Existence title suggests, loses his cheese sandwich and becomes quite annoyed about it. He had only just made it for his lunch, put it down on the table, turned his back for a moment and it mysteriously vanished. It is the sort of trauma that millions of people can identity with. The movie traces his adventures as he searches high and low for his lost sandwich and becomes quite peckish.

Ultimately he finds it again. We are not giving anything away here; the real mystery revolves around what had happened to it and to find out you will have to watch the movie when it is released in December 2024.

Meanwhile, other directors are following Bim's ground-breaking lead.

Steven Spielberg, for instance, is making • • •

ISSUE 3 DECEMBER 2024

"The Alien Planet Where Everybody’s Nice", while Clint Eastwood is currently filming "Forgiven", having just finished "Let's All Cheer Up a Bit".

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It’s early days yet and so far we’ve had no-one brave enough to contribute a welcome stab at wit.

So, speaking of stabbing I’ve been forced to fill the void with some of my own satirical articles like the one you’ve just read (sorry about that).

If you would like this grim state of affairs to end, please send in some humour—quick!

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Helping One Another to Do Well and Prosper

ISSUE 3 DECEMBER 2024

The Joy of Painting

by Sally Oasis I’ve painted all my life and absolutely love it!

Last December 2023 we refurbished the most gorgeous old farm building, Home Farm, on the beautiful William Robinson Estate at Gravetye Manor, West Hoathly, (see video) turning it into an amazing gallery and studio. I work in the studio most days and you’re more than welcome to come and visit. Just contact me prior to arrange.

There are lots of beautiful walks around the area here too and it’s perfect for painting inspiration. I love our gorgeous countryside, gardens and areas of outstanding beauty. On walks and rambles I absorb the views, colours, patterns, smells and sounds then back in my studio, reinterpret them onto canvas for you to enjoy and experience.

Starting my business in the 1990s as a market stall holder in Crawley, I’m now so happy to be painting full-time, especially during the colder months with my lovely roaring log burners keeping the gallery and studio warm.

I am very proud to be supplying my art to the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew and Wakehurst Place. I also supply my cards and prints to Coolings Garden Centre at Wych Cross, Pots and Pithoi, Groombridge Farm Shop and Hospices of Hope.

It’s really lovely to meet my customers and a pleasure to see how happy buying one of my paintings makes them feel. I’m incredibly privileged and grateful to have been given the gift of painting and want to always share my sense of colour and joy.

Sussex Girls East Grinstead Book Club!

A new book club has arrived in East Grinstead!

I happily take on commissions and enjoy working with customers to achieve exactly what they want in a painting.

If you love getting lost in a good book and want to meet like-minded ladies in your area, come and join our informal, friendly book club. We read a mix of everything—from the latest “best-sellers” to classic favourites. Our vibe is super relaxed and friendly, perfect for making new friends who share your love for books.

FACEBOOK

Bright, joyful art bringing colour and energy into your life.

www.sallyoasispaintings.co.uk Instagram @sallyoasisoriginalabstractart Facebook @sallyoasis Tel/WhatsApp 07547384148 20

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Helping One Another to Do Well and Prosper

Introducing . . .

Warrior Arts and Fitness Warrior Arts & Fitness is a martial arts academy based in Forest Row. Established in 2015, we teach a variety of martial arts including Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Wing Chun Kung Fu, Muay Thai Kickboxing and Filipino Stick Fighting.

We have classes for all ages with our Warrior Kids, Teens classes and adult sessions with a full weekly timetable alongside one-to-one training and Personal Training.

Our academy is very proud of our Brazilian Jiu Jitsu team, who over the last few years have had great success in national tournaments across the UK. Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is a ground fighting sport and selfdefence martial art focusing on controlling an opponent and submitting them with joint locks or chokes.

Referred to as the "Gentle Art" BJJ focuses on leverage and using the opponent’s strength against them.

If you are interested in getting involved, please do not hesitate to contact us: Matt Tucker on 07713 086557

EMAIL Email@warrior-arts-fitness.com.

WEBSITE

FACEBOOK PAGE

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ISSUE 3 DECEMBER 2024

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Helping One Another to Do Well and Prosper

ISSUE 3 DECEMBER 2024

Crawley Down Ladies Choir The Crawley Down Ladies Choir is a not-forprofit community organisation originally formed in 1969 that started as a WI choir but subsequently became independent.

We are always happy to welcome new members both sopranos and altos and will even be holding a "Come and Sing" evening on January 20th 2025 to encourage anyone who has thought about singing with a choir to 'try before you buy'. FREE We belong to the National Association of Choirs. ENTRY. Please contact Elaine on 07799 652302 Although helpful, there is no requirement to read music.

Members are made up from the residents of Crawley Down, Copthorne, Turners Hill, East Grinstead and the other surrounding villages who meet on a Monday evening during term time 7.30 - 9.30pm in the Birch Room at The Haven Centre, Crawley Down.

Singing is good for your health, both physical and mental, it provides a wonderful social outlet and opportunity to mix with others.

We hold 2 concerts a year in the Dorothy Hatswell Hall at The Haven Centre in June and then December.

Do come along!

See our website: crawleydownladieschoir.co.uk

By the time this article is published we will have held our 2024 Christmas concert, a matinee performance at 2pm on Saturday December 14th complete with our guest act - a group of children from the Haven Theatre Group who sang for us.

2024 brought several changes and challenges with it.

Our long-term Musical Director (MD) decided that after 50 years as a singer, pianist and latterly MD she would step down after the June summer concert although happily she remained as a singer in the alto section.

We were therefore very pleased to welcome our new MD, Kathleen Shuster, for the start of the September term.

Kathleen also runs the local group "Rising Stars Theatre Company" which is East Grinstead based.

Looking forward to 2025, we start the year on Monday January 13th when we will start learning music for our summer concert, which will be held on Saturday 14th June.

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Helping One Another to Do Well and Prosper

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Can you help?

The British Heart Foundation charity shop in London Road, East Grinstead is looking for volunteers to join its dedicated team.

If you’d like to help, then please visit their website here

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Helping One Another to Do Well and Prosper

ISSUE 3 DECEMBER 2024

Happy Christmas from The Feelgood Station, your happy station

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Helping One Another to Do Well and Prosper

Watch the video here.

This May the charity Rhino Ark UK put on a cycle orienteering challenge amongst the beautiful bluebells of Pippingford Park on the Ashdown Forest.

The weather gods were kind to us and the sun shone as teams of cyclists used the maps provided to search for checkpoints hidden in the woods. They were given challenges that related to the work that Rhino Ark does with wildlife and communities around the mountain national parks of Kenya.

The Black Rhino sanctuary in the Aberdare National Park was represented by Ronnie our electric rhino.

The Eastern Mountain Bongo reintroduction scheme on Mt Kenya inspired a mad dash around the trees trying to identify individual Bongos by name. Rainfall roof demonstrates, in a very small way, the rainwater harvesting equipment that Rhino Ark installs in schools next to the parks.

The welly throwing competition gives a nod to the equipment Rhino Ark provides for forest scouts whose important work includes de-snaring, preventing charcoal burning and illegal logging.

Teams gained points on the challenges and as we know, points mean prizes. Overall winners were the Singh family while Forest Row Scouts combined teams won the special Youth Group prize.

The event raised over £2500 for conservation in Kenya.

See the work Rhino Ark does and the origins of the charity here.

To find out more about the vital work that Rhino Ark does, please visit their website.

Next year’s UK Rhino Challenge will be held on Sunday May 4th 2025 at Pippingford.

Details and tickets on www.ukrhinochallenge.co.uk 25

ISSUE 3 DECEMBER 2024

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Helping One Another to Do Well and Prosper

ISSUE 3 DECEMBER 2024

pling with debt may be feeling, and sends a message of hope and goodwill this Christmas.

4. Encourage people to seek free support Encourage those who are struggling financially to get in touch with a local church and see what support they can provide, as many churches offer a range of practical and emotional help to ease financial pressure and see lives transformed. In partnership with CAP, churches provide free debt help, budgeting guidance, job clubs and life skills groups. Many also offer food shops, warm spaces and emergency aid. Visit capuk.org/help to find out more.

Five ways you can bring light 5. Help provide emergency aid In partnership with CAP, hundreds of churches are providing and hope to families this emergency aid this winter, such as energy top-ups, food shops and school uniforms to families in desperate circumstances.

Christmas But they urgently need your support. If you’re in a fortunate position to be able to give financially, you can make a huge difference this Christmas. To make a donation, please visit capuk.org/winter.

by Michael Brooks

We are Christians Against Poverty (CAP) so it won't surprise you that, as Christians, we love Christmas! However, winter Christians Against Poverty (CAP) is a UK charity working can be really challenging for families living in poverty. Towith over 800 affiliated churches to deliver debt help, budgetgether with local churches, CAP provides free debt advice and ing guidance, support to find work, life skills education and other services, alongside emergency aid to households strugmore. Visit capuk.org to find out more. gling to heat their homes and afford food. More than ever, the values of Christmas – like kindness, being a cheerful giver, and spreading hope and joy in your community – are so important. Michael Brooks is the Community links coordinator - East Here are five ways you can be a light to others in need.

Grinstead Christians Against Poverty 1. Host a Christmas open house Consider what you can do for your neighbours and friends.

Inviting them round to an open house, to a place of warmth with food and good company, could be just what they need to lift their spirits. You could give out little favours or gifts – they don’t have to be lavish presents, but some homemade treats to show you care can go a long way to making people feel valued and supported.

2. Volunteer at a charity This Christmas, many across the UK won’t even have access to a hot meal or a roof over their head. Charities and churches with soup kitchens, food banks, shelters and other outreach programmes are always looking for willing volunteers to help them out. If you have some time to spare, why not give it away and contribute to bringing vital relief to others in your local area?

3. Make Christmas hampers to give to those in need Making Christmas hampers is a fun and rewarding thing to do as a family – even the children can take part and contribute.

Giving a hamper can be as simple or elaborate as you like, and serves to provide practical help to those struggling financially.

Such a gesture eases the loneliness and despair that those grap26

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DR MERLEE HARRIS, BLAZING THE TRAIL TO WELL-BEING FOR ALL

ISSUE 3 DECEMBER 2024

Awards In June 2007 Merlee was awarded the BEAMM for Recognition of Enterprise, Excellence and Achievement.

Merlee Harris ND has devoted over 40 years to the cause of helping others achieve health, well-being and spiritual development.

In August 2014, The Global Directory of Who’s Who, honoured her as a Lifetime Member, in recognition of her hard work, dedication and perseverance and for demonstrating leadership and contributions to the medical profession as a Top Health Professional.

There is probably no higher purpose for life than to help so the hard-won opportunity to help others has been an exciting and rewarding journey of both discovery and self-discovery, an experience for which she remains profoundly grateful.

In April 2022 she won a Speakers Are Leaders award for Extraordinary Client Results

Merlee facilitates health and well-being retreats in several countries. The Sanctuary of Light, her previous London clinic, gave 25 years of service and, today, her Beechcroft Retreats near Forest Row has been going strong for nearly a quarter of a century.

Author

As an author, Merlee has expanded her repertoire still further by sharing her years of hard-won expertise with the Continuing to work with enthusiasm, passion and in- publication of two books, which you can take a look tegrity, she has helped people from all over the world at here. Find out more about Merlee Harris’ work: with various health problems and continues her personal spiritual path to this day.

WEBSITE BLOG LINKED IN FACEBOOK TWITTER

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Ya Gotta Produce!

ISSUE 3 DECEMBER 2024

So it is also with groups and with nations.

In this article I may well be reminding you of what you already know.

A nation is as wealthy as it can produce goods and services in sufficient quantity as to satisfy its needs for them and can exchange goods and services it produces with other nations so as to acquire goods and services it does not itself produce.

However, I am going to say it anyway as it does appear that in the turbulence of our modern world, important basic principles can be lost from view the way one can lose sight of a mountain in a blizzard.

The more goods and services it produces for its own consumption or for exchange with other nations so as to acquire their goods and services, the wealthier and more secure a nation becomes.

Back to basics

And lest the inescapable fundamental of economics The basic natural law here, for individuals, groups becomes forgotten, it would be a good idea to refresh and nations is: the best guarantee of survival is to our understanding of it. create abundance.

So here it is.

What is wealth?

Wealth is possession of or access to cars, houses, food, entertainment and so on and so forth, that can be summed up as “goods and services” The more goods and services you can have, the wealthier you are.

All goods and services have to be created by human beings. They cannot exist unless someone creates them.

One can create them oneself or acquire them from others who have created them.

It is impossible for any individual to create by himself all the goods and services he needs for a tolerable existence, let alone an enjoyable one.

Therefore, he has to acquire from others what he does not himself create.

If a nation does not produce in this wise, it becomes poor, unless it can acquire from other nations the wealth they have created by charity or theft in its many guises.

Thus, the ability to produce goods and services in abundance is the key to wealth.

We can see also that the suppression or inhibition of production, the crippling or penalising of enterprise by, for example, punitive taxation will never ever improve the wealth of a nation an can only make it poorer.

Production is the basis not only of a nation’s wealth but also its morale, self-respect and core strength.

The most important asset of any nation or community is its honest producers of goods and services. Anyone who inhibits or demoralises or penalises or thwarts those producers is striking directly at the survival prospects of the nation. Governments who do this swiftly lose the affinity of their People and become themselves endangered.

Just as an individual who acquires wealth by charity or criminality has lost self-respect and self-reliance 1. Take them from others without their consent, by and is inherently weak and at effect of the whims and trickery or outright force. This we define as CRIMI- vagaries of others, so a community that loses the willingness to produce and prosper by fair exchange NAL. 2. Be given them by another willingly without hav- becomes degraded and weak. ing to give something in return, this we call CHARIAny person or group who promises greater prosperiTY. 3. We can give them something of ours in agreed- ty without facilitating greater production is lying. upon exchange for something of theirs. This we call FAIR EXCHANGE and is the basis of economics.

Continued on next page He can acquire them in one of three basic ways:

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ISSUE 3 DECEMBER 2024

Ya Gotta Produce! - continued from previous page

If you reward non-production and penalise production, you’ll get non-production. If you reward proThus, any government that truly wishes the People it duction and penalise non-production, you’ll get production. serves to be prosperous must do all in its power to help, encourage and reward production and honest exchange between producers.

In terms of increasing production, the “reward” side of the equation is probably more important than the “penalise ”side.

A case in point is the United Kingdom, whose increasing poverty has been created through decades of neglecting or thwarting production. Its fortunes and Similarly, persons or groups fulfilling the service the fortunes of its constituent communities will con- known as “government” must, if they wish to be retinue to decline unless its government removes the warded for their efforts, offer in exchange needed stops and penalties and arbitraries that inhibit proand wanted services desired by the consumer. duction. There is another basic law here:

Click here to find your closest safe spaces in Sussex Click here to find safe spaces in East Grinstead

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to get feedback on your art and see the different I’m not really sure what I did great ways the 6 of us around our table portrayed that week’s subject. I did two courses and then Covid before I got hooked

Jo Way on her Love of Art

struck so had to go it alone, I wasn’t keen doing a zoom class. I bought myself a set of the wonderful Faber Castell polychromos pencils with some money my dear late mother-in-law had left me, I know she would have approved.

Several of us from our art course have stayed in touch and meet up for art sessions at one of our houses. We all have our own favourite areas of art, mine being animals, people and the odd landscape. One day a friend asked if I would draw a picture of someone’s spaniel as a gift and it came out pretty well and since then I have had a fair few commissions, dogs, cats and a couple of horses and I enjoy doing them as long as I have a nice sharp photo to work from.

I am never going to be the worlds best realist painter that can do photographic copy, I like a picture to look I moved to East Grinstead early1980s with my parlike a picture. My art supplies grew: acrylic, charents , youngest of three children (haha the afterthought), my elder siblings having left home. The art coal, water colour, pastels as I tried various interestinterest was something all three of us had, my brother ing projects which we had been taught in class and loved to travel and we have some beautiful sketches some I heard about on YouTube such as paint pour which is fun but a bit messy. So with no fixed style I he did in Africa before he tragically died aged just dabble in all sorts. I find detailed watercolour tricky 34 . but loose watercolour I love because it’s free and you are never entirely sure how it will turn out and I’m My sister lives in NottingHill and her mixed-media very keen on chalk pastel, again a messy one but you art is very popular. My favourite subjects at school can get really hands-on with it. I was lucky enough to were Art, English and PE and though I wasn’t the best student at Imberhorne and left early into the 6th pick up an art desk cheaply which takes up quite a lot of space but is my art area (the grandchildren can form - my love of drawing and writing continued. both fit at once when they come). My son’s girlfriend My late father was very good with words and that is (who is a lovely watercolourist) and I went off on a obviously where I got my love of writing, children’s treat day to do an oil painting day which was really enjoyable. I’m not a fan of painting flowers and my stories and quirky little poems are my genre (yet to heart sank when I saw what our project was but with be published but it is on the back burner). Back in the day when vinyl was big I would attempt to copy some great tuition our pictures turned out very satisfying. album covers or draw Donald Duck and Mickey Mouse, just copy pictures I saw and liked and I enArt is such a wonderful hobby you can really throw joyed it. Time went by and I married and had 2 yourself into whatever your level, you can do mixed amazing children and at latest count two wonderful media or just scribble and surprise yourself somegrandsons. Neither of my children got the art gene but my grandchildren both want the paints and pen- times—it’s usually more fun than frustrating. In fact I cils out when they visit. I had never done art classes find that inspiration for what to draw or paint is the but eventually I managed to find one and signup for a hardest part, that and knowing when to stop working course locally. It was called Seasons and was held at on a picture. Every time I go away on holiday I take Chequer Mead on a Tuesday mornings. It was run by at least a sketch book and pencil—it’s one of the esJoanna, and taught by Sheri Gee who is a wonderful sentials on the packing list ha ha. I tend to have several various projects on the go at once so I have go-to teacher and artist. Over the course of 12 weeks we would work in different mediums, using different pa- things whatever I’m in the mood to do, and I usually per, learn different techniques and I met some won- do a little bit of drawing most days. I’m not really sure what I did before I got hooked derful people whom I class as good friends. It was 30

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A Letter to Man for 2025

by Steve Cook

Heed not the decriers And defamers of Man, For Man brought the fire Of creation with him from the stars, Then forgot the reasons that he came.

Skip regret and dwell you not in blame For in short time has Man ne'er less Etched his name in the stained glass Of imagination and the whole world Spanned with miraculous towers, And raising them higher by the hour, Fashioned cities and nations from his dreams.

Do not believe the con men and liars Who know naught but how To disable gods with self doubt And would if they could Blind them forever To their true power With mischievous screams Of derision and how-bad-it-all-is Streams of wired-in shame.

Listen not to the satanic whisperers Who preach disillusion and the futility of dreams, Who paint failure Over the bright canvas of triumph And would have you believe Naught of your true self.

From the desert's sterile and desultory sand, Nothing grows so go to where proud cities stand And sow the healthy seed in the fertile Soil of well-justified hope.

Grow your world from its rightnesses, The good seeds with which You are both blessed And surrounded And which, indeed, You created.

Jo Way’s Gallery

Contact Jo at wayjo61@gmail.co 31

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Seasonal Smartphone Snaps

by Alison Earnshaw I was an overdue and somewhat hesitant arrival at the Smartphone party! My trusty Samsung is imminently celebrating its fifth birthday, although I’m told this makes it rather elderly in ‘Smartphone Years’.

These apparently work in a similar way to ‘Dog and Cat Years’, one year being the equivalent of seven! But my phone and I have now bonded and one joy (that I was far later than most in discovering) is not only the ease of capturing happy moments with friends and family but also glimpses of nature, countryside and heritage of which so much is accessible from East Grinstead and the surrounding villages.

The natural and historic world are accommodating subjects on the whole; uncomplaining if I don’t get their best side and always ready for their close-ups!

Trees, woodland paths, gems such as Chartwell or the Bluebell Railway… or when it was just too cold and uninviting to venture far, the early morning frozen windscreens of my neighbours’ cars afforded some rather lovely scrolls and fernlike patterns this past week.

It is, however, easy to miss a fleeting moment when it comes to the local fauna. A recent occasion was when sitting on a Worth Way bench; a striking little bird (since identified as a nuthatch) perched on a tree stump just a few feet away, seemingly oblivious to my presence.

With its distinctively black-striped head on one side, it lived up to its name and began to consume a nut… subject, light, distance and composition for a great photo all perfect! But by the time I’d delved and rummaged in my Tardis of a bag to retrieve my phone, both the moment and the nuthatch were gone.

Since then, my portable memory-collector resides in my (securely zipped!) pocket, more readily accessible to catch whatever everyday yet special moments our changing seasons might bring.

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"Alison is a former Modern Languages and S.E.N.D. teacher; currently working on original music production with 'Shot Full Of Rock & Friends'.

To find out more, go to: www.shotfullofrock.co.uk

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Helping One Another to Do Well and Prosper

Well Healthy

ISSUE 3 DECEMBER 2024

Taste That Delivers Sprouted seeds don’t just nourish you—they’re delicious, too! With their crunchy texture and mild, nutty flavor, they can transform everyday meals.

Sprinkle them on salads, stir them into soups, or blend them into smoothies. It’s an effortless way to add a pop of flavour and nutrition.

Easy, Affordable, and EcoFriendly The best part? You don’t need much space, money, or experience to start sprouting.

With a simple jar and some This month’s contribution takes the form of ad- seeds, you can turn your vice on growing your own highly nutritious—and kitchen into a tiny green oahighly recommended— sprouting seeds sis. Sprouting is also a sustainable choice, reducing food miles and packaging waste.

Helping you live a freer, healthier life.

No Garden? No Problem!

Try Sprouting Seeds for Fresh, Healthy Produce at Home

by Samantha Ford of Unique Welllth Think you need a big garden to grow your own fresh produce? Think again! Sprouting seeds could be the answer you’ve been looking for—bringing big health benefits with zero outdoor space required.

Why Sprout?

Sprouting seeds are a powerhouse of nutrients.

When seeds sprout, their vitamin, mineral, and enzyme content skyrockets. And because you harvest them right on your kitchen counter, you get all the benefits, fresh and fast. It’s like creating your very own superfood factory!

Getting Started Curious about giving it a go? Sprouting seeds is an easy, rewarding way to explore fresh, homegrown food.

And if you’d like to try it out, I’ve got a little treat for you— a 20% discount on sprouting seeds (1kg and under) and sprouting jars from Buy Whole Foods Online. Many of their options are organic, too!

I’ve personally used their seeds and love the results (and no, I don’t earn a commission—I’m just passionate about sharing simple ways to better health).

Visit Buy Whole Foods Online and drop me an email for the discount code.

If you’d like tips on which seeds to choose or advice on But it’s not just about nutrients. Sprouted seeds are sprouting safely at home, feel gentle on your digestive system. They naturally free to get in touch. break down complex compounds, making it easier for your body to absorb all that goodness. So, if So, why not make sprouting you’ve ever felt a little uneasy after certain meals, your next kitchen adventure? sprouted seeds might just be your digestive saviour. With big health benefits, deliThere’s another win here: sprouting helps reduce antinutrients—compounds that can block nutrient absorption in regular seeds. When seeds sprout, those pesky antinutrients take a backseat, leaving your body free to soak up all the goodness.

cious flavors, and minimal effort, it’s a win-win for your well-being and the planet!

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in your business.

Unlocking Success: • changes Stay consistent: Keep your look and tone uniThe Power of Small form.

Business Branding Want to build a brand that resonates? Get in touch

By Alice Watkyn

with Alice at Mouthy Marketing to create a brand that stands out and builds loyalty.

Branding is how people perceive your business—it’s EMAIL: hello@mouthymarketing.co.uk the personality you project and the feelings you WEBSITE: www.mouthymarketing.co.uk evoke. It’s not just about a logo or tagline; it’s how you connect with customers through your values, visuals, and communication. For small businesses, strong branding is key to standing out, building trust, and creating loyalty.

In this section we invite you to sing the praises of Why Does Branding Matter? some person, charity, club or small businesses Branding is crucial because it helps you: that has set a fine example of excellent service.

• Build recognition: A strong brand makes you memorable.

This month we are pleased to present this recom• Gain trust: Consistency and authenticity attract mendation from a very happy customer of the loyal customers.

Va-nak-kam restaurant in London Road, East • Create connection: A well-defined brand conGrinstead. nects emotionally, making customers feel part of your story.

Commended and Recommended

In short, branding sets you apart and helps you create lasting relationships with your audience.

Steps to Build Your Brand Creating your brand is easier than you think. Start with these key steps: • Define your values: What does your business stand for?

• Know your audience: Understand what your customers care about.

• Create a visual identity: Choose a logo, colours, and fonts that reflect your brand.

• Develop your voice: Decide on a tone that matches your personality and audience.

• Be consistent: Keep your branding uniform across all channels.

“We couldn't fault this wonderful restaurant.

The service was fast and friendly, the ambience pleasant and relaxing and the food out of this world. Everything was beautifully presented and totally delicious thanks to the chef’s masterful touch with exquisite sauces. We enjoyed a very fine evening and left feeling we had gotten extremely good value for money. I chose this restaurant for my wife’s birthday treat and I’m very, very glad I did.

Common pitfalls to avoid Avoid these common branding mistakes: • Inconsistency: Mixing styles confuses customers.

• Imitating others: Stand out by showcasing your unique qualities.

• Ignoring feedback: Listen to customers and refine your brand.

We will without question go again—perhaps for my birthday in January (a hint for the wife if she reads this) and I have no hesitation in recommending Va-nak-kam to anyone looking for very fine dining.”

Evolving your brand Branding isn’t static. To keep your brand fresh: •

Va-nak-kam’s website is here

Adapt as you grow: Update your brand to reflect 34

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CARE In East Grinstead and Lingfield

ISSUE 3 DECEMBER 2024

preciate they also have other commitments. Fuel costs are reimbursed, and a DBS check is organised and paid for by CARE. If you do not drive, perhaps you have competent computer skills and would be willing to allocate one day a month, 9am – 5pm, from your own home, to man the phone as a Duty Officer, taking requests for transport and arranging a driver. Full training is given on our easy-to-use database, for this position, and a basic DBS check is carried out. Duty Officers choose their preferred date each month so keeping it flexible.

If you would like more information please check out the CARE website, phone the CARE line on 01342 410086 between 9am and 5pm weekdays or contact the Volunteer Manager on volmanager@careineastgrinstead.co.uk.

Along with many charities, the pressure on our service has increased hugely and we desperately need more drivers and Duty Officers to cover the requests Is Volunteering on your ‘to do’ list? If so, or this arti- we receive. We really do not like having to turn a cle has put it in your mind, would you consider client down, knowing they may have to miss a possioffering to drive people from your local area to med- bly long-awaited medical appointment. If you feel ical appointments when they have no other means of you would like to join this very worthwhile charity, transport? we would love to hear from you.

This is the main function of local charity CARE in East Grinstead and Lingfield. We take clients who live in the local area to surgeries, dentists, hospitals etc, wait while they have their appointment, within reason, and bring them home.

The support and confidence this gives our clients, bearing in mind they are generally of a certain age, is immeasurable.

Very often families are not available to do this for them so they are very grateful when an organisation like CARE can help.

Our drivers choose the distance they are willing to travel and frequency they can give, so are not asked to do anything outside their comfort zone; we do ap-

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Helping One Another to Do Well and Prosper

ISSUE 3 DECEMBER 2024

Little Kickers started in the UK in 2002.

Firstly, we believe in something we call “Play not Push”. It means teaching football in a fun, pressurefree environment. We want to give children a positive introduction to sport as a whole, not just football, so they’re more likely to stay healthy and active throughout their lives.

Secondly, we believe football can be educational.

Coached in the right way it can stimulate imagination and aid early development skills such as learning colours and numbers, following instructions and playing as a team.

We have four different football classes each tailored two will be able to play independently of their parent to a different age group. However, we have those two or guardian. core beliefs that we take into every session.

We then have: Our Little Kicks classes are for children aged from 18 months to 2.5 yrs. The main focus of Little Kicks Junior Kickers classes for 2.5 years to 3.5 years old. Play and games are at the heart of everything we is what we call ‘learning to learn’. Our coaches are taught specific techniques that enable children to get do. Our games cleverly disguise the learning aspect so the children just think they are playing. The more the most out of our classes. We believe that play is one of the greatest development tools and when com- the children enjoy the games, the more they particibined with repetition and structure, ensures effective pate. This enjoyment leads to greater confidence, which in turn leads to self-initiated participation and learning. independent play.

Classes involve a number of games that require parMighty Kickers classes for 3.5 yrs to 5 yrs old. ents to put on their running shoes and get actively Mighty Kickers classes incorporate our rounded involved in the session. However, some games are learning approach of play, practice and understandspecifically targeted at developing independence. ing. Play is the motivator and promotes continued and repeated practice. This disguised learning in itself These transition games mean children as young as is a powerful tool, however we believe in not only teaching the children how to perform the skills, but also to understand why and where to use the skill in the real world.

This transcends all six areas of our curriculum: - Personal, social & emotional development, - Communication, language & literacy, - Mathematical development, - Knowledge & understanding of the World, - Physical development, - Creative development.

Continued on next page

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The Town Crier

Helping One Another to Do Well and Prosper

Litte Kickers—continued from previous page

ISSUE 3 DECEMBER 2024

Pillar Box Acquires Natty Hat

Mega Kickers classes for 5 to 8 years old. More touches on the ball lead to faster and greater skill gain. Every child has their own ball throughout the session and our games are specifically designed for maximum touches of the ball. The games are progressively challenging enabling new skills to be learnt each lesson, however children are able to work within their ability.

Children become more competitive at this age and are taught to challenge themselves and one another.

The match becomes the climax of the session and is the perfect outlet for channeling children’s competitive energy as well as transferring their skills into a real-world situation.

This charming woolly hat sits atop the pillar box outside the Sunnyside Post Office on the corner of Dunnings Road and Coronation Road in East Grinstead. It thoroughly deserves an honourable mention in the Town Crier for its delightful combination of aesthetics, creative skill and heartwarming spirit of play.

Key Features of our classes are: - 45-minute class - Weekly classes - One coach with up to12 children OR two coaches for 13 to 16 children - Each child receives a football kit - 4 unique badges to collect across the Little Kicks programme

A very well done to the public-spirited guerilla knitter who created it and placed it there to brighten up the area. Your contribution to your community is appreciated.

I’d love to see more of these creations around the town so if you come across one, take a picture and send it in.

We have classes inside during the winter in the King’s Leisure Centre on Saturday and Sunday mornings and during the summer months we take all the children outside to Mount Noddy Park!

Better still, get knitting and create one.

To sign up just go to the Little Kickers website (www.littlekickers.co.uk), click on find a class and input the requested information!

Do you want the community to know more about your club?

Write and tell us about it!

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The Town Crier

Helping One Another to Do Well and Prosper

ISSUE 3 DECEMBER 2024

Myfolks – a local revolution in social health Myfolks provides practical and compassionate solution for an ageing population in the form of a revolutionary app that enables users to send vetted, DBSchecked people, that we call Myfolksers, to provide practical and emotional support to their elderly loved ones.

Whether it’s helping with daily tasks, providing companionship or offering assistance after a hospital discharge, Myfolks is there to fill the gap left by stretched public services.

We operate at the point before visits to provide personal care are required but additional supported is certainly needed. We can overlap with personal care providers too.

Launched in November 2023, the service is really making a difference, offering flexible support options ranging from single visits to ongoing presence.

It is hard to comprehend that once-strong parents will need so much help, and it usually happens suddenly and chaotically, meaning choices that have to be made are often not optimal, but simply those available.

We are driving out social isolation, which if allowed to become chronic leads to a 56% increased risk of stroke, 32% increased risk of heart disease and increase risk of diabetes and dementia. It is vital that we intervene before this leads to worsening health.

We are promoting social health.

Myfolks is supported by the National Innovation Centre for Ageing, the Health Innovation Network and is on the very first NHS Clinical Entrepreneur Programme to include patient entrepreneurs present, like Louise, by way of lived experience.

Myfolks is proud to be providing the service in East Grinstead as well as in various other areas around the UK, with the aim to cover the whole of the UK and beyond in the coming years.

Founder Louise Thompson’s inspiration came from her own parents’ needs – the desire for a human touch in moments of fear and loneliness – and she was de- This is important because the global population is livtermined to provide this for others, because she ing longer but not well. We must do more to support knows how exhausting and all-consuming being a them. family caregiver can be.

We are also proud that being a It is important that people have Myfolkser enables people to get back someone who can step in, now and into really flexible, purposeful, decentagain, on a chargeable basis. You ly-paid work, as we draw Myfolksers can’t pour from an empty jug, and from the local community. It has been caregivers must take some time for described as the best work in the themselves in order to continue to world. care for their loved one.

Do please get in touch to explore takLouise has lived in East Grinstead for ing visits for a loved one or becoming over 20 years, although she is Geora Myfolkser. die by birth. Her parents remained in the North East and the distance bewww.myfolks.uk tel 03330045922 tween them, once they were ill was an additional challenge.

WATCH VIDEO

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The Town Crier

Helping One Another to Do Well and Prosper

ISSUE 3 DECEMBER 2024

4. A cheer point on the day 5. Cheering t-shirts and materials for your family and friends.

We know that fundraising can be just as challenging as the event, but our team will be on hand to help.

Alongside your support pack, we’ll be in regular contact with support, advice and ideas, and on hand for any questions you might have about fundraising or training.

Run for TMD Brighton Half Marathon

Date: Sunday, 2nd March 2025 Location: Madeira Drive, Brighton Registration: £25 Sponsorship: We ask that our participants raise a minimum of £250 each.

This year we have places for the Brighton Half MarYou can sign up for your charity place by contactathon, and what better time than the new year to ing simon@taylormadedreams.org.uk challenge yourself to go further for charity.

This will be our second year of being a charity partner at the half marathon, and we’re looking forward to an even bigger event this year.

Here’s a Wild Idea . . . .

The Town Crier Farmers’ Forum

Last year we had 27 runners, including people who had never run a half marathon before, all reach the finish and smash their fundraising targets.

It is becoming clear to many people that we cannot always trust the food industry to provide us with safe, nutritious food uncontaminated by harmful chemicals that threaten our health.

Every TMD event you attend has a significant impact on the services we can provide, allowing us to support more families in the South-East.

As has been rightly pointed out, one of the positive things we can do about this is shorten the supply chain, cut out the often highly unethical middlemen and buy direct from the farms.

Join Team Taylor-Made Dreams for an amazing event and support services now and in the future for children with life-limiting illnesses and their families.

With that in mind, the Town Crier will in future issues have a section called Farmers’ Forum, in which farmers and ethical suppliers can make themselves known to the community. In this way we hope we can help farmers and consumers work together for the health and wellbeing of all.

What you’ll get as part of team TMD: 1. Your own running vest or t-shirt 2. Support from start to finish from all the TMD Team 3. Help with your fundraising 39

The Town Crier

Helping One Another to Do Well and Prosper

Walk and Talk 4 Success

ISSUE 3 DECEMBER 2024

moving among trees and being in nature.

Getting into action with Judith Rayner

My Walking Business Mastermind, which I started nine years ago, proved that some of the most powerful insights happen when we’re moving, not stuck sitting in front of a laptop.

Judith Rayner has very kindly agreed to give Town Crier readers the benefit of her expertise via a monthly feature in the magazine and thus links arms with our growing band of public benefactors willing I’ve always been a bit of a rebel when it comes to to share with you some of their hard-won knowhow. traditional coaching. I don’t believe in one-size-fitsall success formulas. Instead, I create spaces where In this article, we’ve invited her to introduce herwomen can breathe, walk, and grow at their own self. pace.

Whether it’s a one-hour coaching session, a half-day workshop, or a walking conversation, my goal is always the same: to help women find more ease, clarity and connection so they can take their next steps.

When I’m not coaching or leading workshops, you’ll probably find me dancing, reading, or learning something new. I’m a perpetual student of life, always curious, always exploring.

Want to join me on this journey of movement, breath and transformation?

You’ll find me here in the Town Crier each month sharing short articles, tips and practices to help you to breathe a little deeper, walk a little slower, be a little kinder to yourself, and to explore simple ways of finding more ease and flow in your everyday life and work.

Hi there! I’m Judith Rayner, also known as The Business Walker – the clue is in the title!

After 15 years of working with women in business coaching, mentoring, training, and now as a Certified Breathwork Coach, I’ve discovered that transformation doesn’t happen sitting still. It happens when we move, when we breathe, when we connect to ourselves and what’s important.

I love variety and freedom and am lucky to be able to work with flexibility at the core – some days I’m doing one-to-one coaching sessions, helping women untangle their professional challenges and personal roadblocks. We might be walking and talking through the beautiful Sussex countryside, or diving deep into breathwork techniques that help them reset and reconnect.

You can find Judith Rayner on Instagram and Facebook for local workshops and events or go to the website (currently being updated) www.walkandtalk4success.com

Other times, I’m running breathwork or coaching workshops. Some are online, others indoors in local East Grinstead spaces or out in nature - because there’s something magical about breathing and 40

GRAMMAR TIPS

Its and It’s It’s means “It is", examples: It’s quite cold this morning.

I’ll let you know when it’s done.

Its means “belonging to it”, examples: The tree sheds its leaves in winter When she cheereed up, her smile regained its sparkle.

The Town Crier

Helping One Another to Do Well and Prosper

ISSUE 3 DECEMBER 2024

Recipes that won’t kill you

In this section we encourage you to share your best recipe for wholesome food made with organic ingredients and free of any of the hidden nasties that make eating a game of Russian Roulette.

Last month we featured a recipe for organic sugar-free nut and cinnamon scones and this month we feature a recipe for sourdough bread.

If you have a healthy recipe you would like to share, please submit it to: steve.cook.writer@mail.com The following recipe should more or less halve the cost of your bread, whilst helping you be healthy.

By test, once you are used to doing it, the actual work involved takes about 15 minutes of your time. But first you need to make the starter . . .

How to make a sourdough starter DAY ONE: In a glass mixing bowl put the following ingredients and mix them together with a wooden spoon (avoid using plastic); 20g organic flour + 20g spring water or filtered water (should be quite warm—about 30C) + 5g organic runny honey.

Cover the mixed ingredients with a clean cloth and stand to ferment in a warm place (I use the airing cupboard) for 24 hours.

DAY TWO: Mix in: 40g organic flour + 40g spring or filtered water (at about 30C) + 5g organic runny honey.

Cover with a clean cloth and let it stand in a warm place for another 24 hours.

Refresh it every three days by adding a quarter of its weight in flour and a quarter of its weight in waDAY THREE Mix your fermenting starter with: 80g organic flour ter. + 80g warm spring or filtered water. No honey this time. Cover once more and leave to stand for anoth- I use mine every three days on average. Each time, I use 300g of starter (see recipe). When I do I immeer 24 hours in a warm place. diately top the starter back up with 150g of flour plus 150 g of water and let it stand until I next need DAY FOUR Mix your fermenting starter with:100g organic flour it. I've found that it can be used every 24 hours without a problem. + 100g water.

Your starter mix is nearly ready for use. Place it in a If you are going away you can put the starter jar in glass jar but do not close the lid as you need to let the air circulate. Instead, cover the jar with a muslin the fridge with the lid on. I believe it will keep for weeks although I've not yet tried it. cloth to keep the flies out but let the air in.

You can pretty much use your starter whenever you I use organic wholemeal flour but you can use want now but I suggest let it stand for another half whatever flour you prefer. day before use.

Now for the recipe: turn to the next page 41

The Town Crier

Helping One Another to Do Well and Prosper

ISSUE 3 DECEMBER 2024

Recipes that won’t kill you

How to make your own Organic Sourdough Bread Making your own 100% fresh organic sourdough bread is very easy and once you are used to it, it only takes a few minutes.

By trial and error I've simplified it down to a very straightforward and basic procedure that seems to work very well.

Have a go and see what you think.

NOTE: this recipe does not use yeast but a sourdough starter, which apparently is how bread used to be made before the existence and role of yeast was discovered. Making the sourdough starter is easy and a recipe for this is on the previous page.

Step 1: put 500 gm of flour in a large glass mixing bowl. I've used organic wholemeal or organic stoneground wholemeal or organic strong white bread flour or organic white rye or organic rye. The same basic recipe applies. I'm sure you can use other flours if you want. Use organic rye or organic white rye if you want bread with very little gluten.

Step2: add natural sea salt or similar. I use just a pinch but you can vary it according to taste. Then add about a dessert spoon of organic olive oil.

Step 3: mix these with a wooden spoon (avoid plastic).

Step 4:Add 300 gm of sourdough starter (see recipe for the starter below) and stir it in thoroughly.

Step 5: add water and stir it in until you have a slightly moist but not gooey consistency. I use warm water as it seems to help the dough rise. If you are using rye flour, warm water is essential. In fact you want it quite warm for rye flour - not too hot to touch obviously but about as warm as water used to wash your hands.

Step 6: knead the dough. I used to turn the mixed dough out onto a floured board and knead it with my hands the way most recipes tell you to. But then I found that if I kept it in the bowl and just worked it for a few minutes with one hand (wetted under the tap to prevent the dough sticking to my hand) whilst holding and turning the bowl with the other, this worked fine. Doing it this way saves having to use a board and having to flour the board to prevent the dough sticking to it (a waste of good flour). Just a few minutes of one-handed kneading does the trick.

Step 7: turn out your dough into a rectangular baking tin (see pic). The tins I am using are 9inch x 5inch. I first line the tin with non-stick baking paper to stop the dough sticking to the tin. This saves having to flour and oil the tin and when the dough is baked it is easier to turn it out of the tin.

Step 8: leave to stand in a warm place for at least 24 hours. I use the airing cupboard. Cover the tin with a clean tea towel when you do so.

NB, you have just used 300 mg of your sourdough starter so this will have to be replaced. Simply mix 150mg of flour and 150mg of filtered water in bowl until smooth, then pour into your sourdough starter jar. Mix it in briefly with the live culture that is already in the jar and then cover your jar with muslin (see starter recipe below). Return the jar to its warm storage place. Leave a day or two before using again. The loaf you are making should last you a couple of days, even if you are a bit of a scoffer like me. Another tip: to compensate for the inevitable natural slight wastage, make your top-up slightly more than 300gm (say 155 gm flour plus 155 gm water= 310 gm).

Step 8: leave to stand in a warm place for at least 24 hours. I use the airing cupboard. Cover the tin with a clean tea towel when you do so.

Continued on next page

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The Town Crier

Helping One Another to Do Well and Prosper

ISSUE 3 DECEMBER 2024

Sourdough bread recipe continued NB, you have just used 300 mg of your sourdough starter so this will have to be replaced. Simply mix 150mg of flour and 150mg of filtered water in bowl until smooth, then pour into your sourdough starter jar. Mix it in briefly with the live culture that is already in the jar and then cover your jar with muslin (see starter recipe below). Return the jar to its warm storage place. Leave a day or two before using again. The loaf you are making should last you a couple of days, even if you are a bit of scoffer like me. Another tip: to compensate for the inevitable natural slight wastage, make your top-up slightly more than 300gm (say 155 gm flour plus 155 gm water= 310 gm) Step 9: place an oven-proof tray or dish on the bottom shelf of your fan oven. Preheat the fan oven to 240 degrees C. Do not skimp on making sure the oven is thoroughly preheated.

Step 10: remove the tea towels covering your baking tin and place the tin on the middle shelf of your preheated oven. Shut the oven door. Start your timer (it should be set for 35 minutes) Step 11: after a couple of minutes open the oven door and chuck about half a litre of cold water into the dish or tray the bottom of the oven so as to create steam. Immediately shut the oven door. While doing this (takes a couple of seconds) keep the timer running.

Step 12: at the end of the 35 minutes remove the tin from the oven. Watch out, it is hot! Turn out the baked bread and remove the greaseproof paper. Tap the bottom of the loaf - if the bread is fully baked it will sound and feel hollow. I find that in my fan oven, 35 minutes produces perfectly baked bread.

If the underside does not feel stiff and hollow, put it back in the oven for another ten minutes at 200C. Trial and error will teach you what works best for you and your oven.

Step 13: place your hot loaf on a wire tray to cool.

Step 14: eat.

Got a non-lethal recipe?

Send it to us now! The best one will be in the January Issue of the Town Crier

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The Town Crier

Helping One Another to Do Well and Prosper

ISSUE 3 DECEMBER 2024

Slimming World, Well, I was raving about it all the time anyway!

East Grinstead After completing the first part of my consultant train-

ing at Slimming World head office in Derbyshire, I launched my very own group in East Grinstead on Saturday 4th May 2024. That first morning I stood up there in front of the group for the very first time, Having struggled to lose weight in the past, joining my nervous and most likely stuttering as I had never done local Slimming World group anything like this before! was one of the best things I’ve ever done. Within a few months, I was two-and-a But little did I know what lovely people I would meet! The group is full of supportive, caring people.

-half stone lighter, happier and full of confidence.

An Introduction by Amanda Sturgeon

It is such a privilege for me to help others to achieve their goals. We already have 5 target members in our group. One of which is Sean who has lost four-and-a-half stone. Now he’s learning how to maintain his target with the help of the Slim for Life book, a 12-week plan to help target members transition from losing weight to

What got me through those doors that very first time was the thought of my upcoming 40th birthday party less than a year away. Finding a nice party dress and feeling good about myself seemed like a distant dream from how I was currently feeling: frumpy, tired, and wanting to hide away.

My consultant was lovely and welcoming and the group members were really supportive. I learnt to Food Optimise (Slimming World’s healthy eating plan) and be more active in my daily life.

With Slimming World you’re maintaining weight. eating healthy everyday foods that are naturally lower in en- Support is really the most important thing. It all starts with feeling that you’re not alone. Plus the weekly ergy density, fill you up and keep you feeling full. The plan help, encouragement and understanding of the Conencourages you to enjoy plenty sultant and group members. As someone who has lost of tasty, filling foods like pas- weight myself, I know the challenges people can face, ta, rice, potatoes, eggs, fat-free which is why, along with the group, I will be there to natural yogurt, lean meat, fish, support all my members get to their chosen target fruit and veg, without counting weight. Setting targets, sharing recipes and other idecalories. You don’t go hungry as, and working together as a group to overcome challenges and celebrate success is so important to a sucso you don’t feel like you’re cessful journey. missing out. You learn how to make all your family favorite recipes fit the plan so you don’t If you would like some help need to cook different meals. And you have a to lose weight, come along daily syn allowance for those special treats, which and give it a go. It could meant I didn’t have to give up my chocolate and change your life too! prosecco! I just needed to And I did feel amazing in learn how to fit them in with that party dress for my 40th! the plan.

Who knew you can lose weight without feeling hungry or deprived?! That’s the beauty of Slimming World.

It’s generous, effective and liberating! I loved it so much that I decided to become a Slimming World consultant alongside my full-time job.

Saturdays 8.30am at Sunnyside Barn, Dunnings Road, East Grinstead RH19 4AT. Phone 07471369874.

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The Town Crier

Helping One Another to Do Well and Prosper

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ISSUE 3 DECEMBER 2024

The Town Crier

Helping One Another to Do Well and Prosper

ISSUE 3 DECEMBER 2024

MY PICK OF THE PICS OF THE GREAT REVEAL

STONES BUTCHERS, LINGFIELD ROAD. PHOTO SUPPLIED BY STEVE POND

Click here for some videos of the evening 46